Investigating the effects of using improvised instructional materials on grade 11 learners’ achievement in biology at a selected remote school in Omuthiya circuit
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Date
2025
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University of Namibia
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of using improvised instructional
materials on Grade 11 learners’ achievement in Biology at a selected school in
Omuthiya circuit, Oshikoto region. The study also sought to uncover how improvised
instructional materials contribute to learners’ achievement in Biology and the views of
the learners in the experimental group on the effect of using improvised instructional
materialsin the teaching and learning of Biology. The study employed a mixed-method
approach which used a qualitative case study and a quasi-experimental design. The
population of this study was all nine (9) secondary schools in Omuthiya circuit with a
population of about 758 learners. Purposive sampling method was used to select one
secondary school that offers Biology from nine secondary schools in the circuit. The
selected school had one Grade 11 class with thirty (30) learners doing Biology, which
were then further randomly divided into two groups (Experimental group and Control
group). This was done by picking pieces of papers mixed up in jar written their names.
The first fifteen names picked were placed in group A, while the remaining fifteen
were placed in group B. A Biology Achievement Test (BAT) of a pre-test and post-test
was used to gather quantitative data, while focus group discussions were used to collect
qualitative data. Furthermore, data were analysed using Microsoft Excel and thematic
data analysis. Triangulation was also used to allow validation of data through a cross verification of findings from qualitative and quantitative approaches.
The key findings of the study show that using improvised instructional materials in the
teaching and learning of Biology has a positive effect on Grade 11 learners’
achievement in that subject. In addition, it was established that improvised
instructional materials help learners to understand the content easily because it brings
fun to the lessons and learners are familiar with the materials being used. The findings
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further revealed that improvised instructional materials provide learners with an
opportunity to visualise the subject content being taught, which then makes it easy for
learners to remember the content. However, the study revealed that some of the
improvised instructional materials can be dangerous depending on the materials they
are made from. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education Arts and Culture
invest more in procuring the usual traditional instructional materials as well as
acquiring and supplying more raw materials that teachers can use at schools to make
improvised instructional materials. In addition, the Biology Senior Education Officers
should facilitate workshops to train teachers on the needed skills in setting up
improvised instructional materials and precautions that teachers need to be aware of
when dealing with such materials
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education
Keywords
Improvised instructional materials, Experimental group, Control group, Achievement, Biology, Learners, Namibia, University of Namibia